Alumni Careers in Sustainability

Devon Fernandes (MA ’18)
What led you/prepared you for your current role?
My time in the Community Psychology program at Laurier taught me systems thinking skills and how to navigate grey areas, which are so common in sustainability roles. And it was my Practicum placement which led to founding the KW Library of Things where I learnt how to use business principles creatively to address social and environmental problems. These are experiences I draw on a daily basis for my current role.

What advice do you have for students/new grads looking at a career in sustainability?
Sustainability is such a broad field and I'm constantly learning how to apply sustainability concepts in new ways, so take advantage of the incredible resources at Laurier to develop a broad set of skills. If it's joining Laurier Launchpad, networking with profs from programs you're curious about (but not enrolled in), or taking non-degree certificates (I completed three certificates: a Certificate in Career Development, a Certificate in University Teaching Foundations, and Certificate in Intercultural Teaching), having well-rounded experience will make you much more effective at catalyzing sustainable change.

Jeff Quint (MBA ’02)
What led you/prepared you for your current role?
There are several things that led me to, and prepared me for, my current role. First, having a variety of education, experience, and skills has given me a strong foundation to build on. Second, I have consistently demonstrated leadership without relying on a title, choosing to lead by example instead. Finally, my mindset, attitudes, and actions have played a crucial role: I focus on adding value in everything I do, staying open and flexible to change, communicating my goals and how I can contribute, working hard no matter the task, and being patient as opportunities unfold.
What advice do you have for students or new graduates pursuing a career in sustainability?
I encourage you to view your career as a journey rather than a destination, because where you start is likely not where you will end up or where you ultimately want to be. Remember that no job or task is beneath you, regardless of your education or experience. Respect is something you earn through your actions, not something automatically granted by a degree, background, or title. It is also incredibly valuable to find one or more mentors who can help guide you as you navigate your career. And finally, always treat people with kindness and professionalism because the world is much smaller than you think, and you never know who is connected to whom.

Dolf DeJong (MES ’00)
• What led you/prepared you for your current role?
I often joke that I learned almost everything I needed to know to be a CEO through my experience as a park interpreter at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. In that role every guided walk was unique as the route, audiences and what was happening in the natural world are all so dynamic week to week. I had to plan and be prepared for a wide range of potential outcomes, and this is where my university training served me well with regards to both subject matter knowledge, and the ability to process diverse sources of information and make them accessible to the masses. That said, even with the best laid plans the role required me to be prepared to adapt on the fly as unexpected events or species entered the story at any given moment! The commitment to best outcomes to help people make memories that last was the ultimate driver, regardless of what topics or themes I wanted to speak to on any given day. That commitment to best outcomes in a wide range of dynamic situations, regardless of time invested remains one of my personal drivers to this day.
• What advice do you have for students/new grads looking at a career in sustainability?
Be clear on your perspectives on sustainability and question every assumption. Many suggest funding is the barrier in this field, and yes there is the need for more funding. However my experience is the more significant barrier is people being able to see themselves in the story and change. To address this I recommend you get out there and find your way into the mud of the sustainability movement! That seldom is found within the large organizations who may move slowly, but are committed to the cause long term. The real progress is happening out there on the ground, community led, usually severely resource limited and messy. This is where people come together and drive unexpected outcomes and new paths forward bringing environmental sustainability and community service together.

Nicolette Tsafantakis (BA ’17)

What led prepared you for your current role?

I studied Communication Studies with a minor in Sociology at Laurier, where I learned how people connect with ideas and what makes a message stick. From there, I built my career in marketing. I started small, creating Instagram posts and supporting brand campaigns. Over time I worked my way from Marketing Coordinator to District Marketing Manager and then to Corporate Marketing Technology Manager.

Most of my experience has been in the food service world and that became a strength I did not expect. At Friendlier, many of our partners are corporate dining programs, restaurants, and campuses. That background helped me step in and build a marketing function that understands both the customer and the industry.

I have always been driven by creativity and communication first. What I love about this role is that I get to use those same marketing skills to support something that has a positive impact. It feels good to know the work matters to more than just the metrics.

What advice do you have for students and new grads looking at a career in sustainability?

You do not need a perfectly mapped out sustainability career path to find your place in it. I did not start my career thinking I would work in clean tech. I simply followed what I enjoyed and built experience along the way. Eventually everything connected.

Sustainability needs all types of talent, including marketers, storytellers, designers, analysts, and people who understand how businesses work. If you care about making things better and you stay curious, you can find a role that gives you both purpose and growth.

Try different things while you are in school. Join projects. Take on internships. Make connections. Even the roles that do not feel like the dream job yet are building important skills and confidence. Careers are not linear. You look back one day and realize every step got you where you needed to be.

In the end, we all live on this planet and want a future that is better than the one we found. If you can combine what you love to do with contributing to that future, that is a pretty great place to be.

Tyler Marshall (BA ’17)

What prepared you for your current role?

I learned skills outside of the classroom that complemented the undergraduate degree I earned from Laurier. The thing that prepared me most for my current role was getting experience with paring down complex projects, programs or ideas into simple, digestible formats. The idea of 'selling' sustainability might seem absurd, but having the people skills to communicate sustainability projects to a lot of different stakeholders helps move projects along and get budgets approved faster and more efficiently.

What advice do you have for students and new grads looking at a career in sustainability?

Co-op or summer jobs as a student play a huge role in government hiring. A lot of full-time hires at the Region of Waterloo previously held jobs as students while they completed their undergraduate studies as Laurier. Keep and eye out for open summer roles around December or January, and get to know as many people as you can if you successfully land a student position.

Eric Thuss (BA ’07, MSc ’10)

What prepared you for your current role?

I didn’t follow a direct path to where I am now, that’s for sure. While I was finishing my undergraduate degree I was fortunate to be involved in a research project where I completed a undergraduate thesis, which I expanded and took into the Masters program. The Master of Science (Geography) program really allowed me to sharpen my technical and research skills to compliment the knowledge I gained during my undergraduate career. I also developed some strong working relationships with faculty, staff, and other students during my final year of undergrad and through grad school that opened doors and led to some pretty great opportunities.

What advice do you have for students and new grads looking at a career in sustainability?

The organization you want to work for may be as important as the work you want to do, and to get where you want to go will likely involve a few different steps along the way. There are always opportunities to learn and to develop your skills in whatever role you are in, so take advantage of opportunities when you can and keep building up your skill set.

Faye Wood (BA ’16)

What prepared you for your current role?

My current role as Project Manager, Building Sciences & Sustainability has been shaped by both my academic background and my professional experience across environmental disciplines. My education in Environmental Studies provided a strong technical foundation in sustainability principles, geomatics, and environmental assessment, which I grew with infield and real life knowledge. Over the past seven years, I’ve had the opportunity to lead and manage a wide range of building audits and assessments—including accessibility assessments, indoor air quality audits, energy audits, water audits, waste audits, and flood risk assessments—which has given me a holistic understanding of how buildings perform and how they can be improved.

Working on multiple building certification systems such as LEED, Fitwel, BOMA BEST, and the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification has allowed me to integrate environmental performance, health, and inclusion within the built environment. These experiences, combined with collaboration across public and private sectors, have helped me develop strong project management, auditing, and problem-solving skills that help me within my current role.

What advice do you have for students and new grads looking at a career in sustainability?

Sustainability is a broad and evolving field, so my advice is to stay curious and open to different areas—from waste management and energy auditing to accessibility and healthy buildings and property management. Start by trying to get hands-on experience wherever you can—whether through internships, volunteer opportunities, or meet people through networking events—and use that experience to find what areas interest you most. Building a strong foundation in data analysis, environmental understanding, and communication will serve you well across any sustainability pathway. Helping to improve sustainability can be done through a variety of pathways, there is no one direct course – keep an open mind and try to learn something at every step.